After that, Shui Yue'er continued, "The martial soul innate domain I awakened earlier is called the Cerulean Domain.
Within the Cerulean Domain, all water-element effects—including those of teammates I recognize—are increased by 30%. It suppresses enemy soul masters and soul beasts of the water attribute whose martial spirit quality or bloodline level is lower than the Crystal Dolphin by 30% as well.
In addition, my Cerulean Domain comes with a domain ability: Infinite Ocean. When I'm in an environment rich in water elements, I can absorb external water elements to quickly restore my soul power."
"A restorative domain skill? Not bad—stronger than Huo Wu's and Wushuang's domains."
Raising his brows slightly, Mu Yang couldn't help but praise her.
Martial spirits varied in strength, and domains likewise had levels of power. The Cerulean Domain Shui Yue'er awakened, while not among the continent's very strongest, certainly wasn't bottom tier either.
Moreover, domain effects weren't permanently fixed. With sufficient development and evolution, a weak domain could transform into one with immense power.
"What about the soul bone skill?"
Shui Bing'er asked from the side.
Lifting her chin slightly, Shui Yue'er said, "Nether Sea Requiem—an area-wide mental attack soul bone skill.
It transforms soul power into the music of the soul. The soul music flows gently like trickling water, carrying an illusory charm that makes people unsuspecting.
But once it invades an enemy's sea of consciousness, it becomes as turbulent as crashing waves, launching endless spiritual assaults."
Hearing this, Mu Yang nodded. "Not bad. Nether Sea Requiem suits your advantage in spiritual power perfectly.
But you understand the flaws of spiritual methods. Use them with caution—especially when facing opponents skilled in spiritual power, or when the enemy's soul power level far surpasses your own."
In the beginning, Mu Yang hadn't passed the full version of Lunar Divine Refinement to Shui Yue'er, only the first two layers.
But later, thinking differently—this little sister-in-law was destined to be his sooner or later—he gave her the complete version. This allowed Shui Yue'er's spiritual power to far outstrip her soul power.
Now, with a hundred-thousand-year spiritual attack soul bone skill, Nether Sea Requiem, Shui Yue'er could fully unleash that advantage.
In truth, Shui Yue'er wasn't the only one with overwhelming spiritual strength. Shui Bing'er, Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, Huo Lie, and others did too.
This was because when a soul master advanced in soul power, their spiritual power was also drawn upward. Even without specialized cultivation techniques, a soul master's spiritual power would not fall behind their soul power. The problem was that most lacked concrete methods to use it, leaving their potential untapped.
On top of that, Shui Yue'er and the others had Lunar Spirit Refinement, a supreme method focused solely on spiritual cultivation. Compared to their soul power, their spiritual power naturally held a huge advantage.
But Mu Yang himself was no longer in the same position.
Back when he consumed the Autumn Water Dew, his spiritual strength had indeed been far ahead of his soul power.
But that was then, and this was now.
At the time, his soul power was weak while his spiritual power was strong, so the advantage was clear.
Yet now, because of his twin martial spirits and extremely high-aged rings, his soul power had skyrocketed over the years—from a level 70 quasi-Soul Sage to the current peak of level 99 Limit Douluo in just over a year.
Meanwhile, his spiritual power had risen from the third realm Full Moon Peak (level 90) to the fourth realm Radiant Moon Peak (level 99). The gap that had once been twenty whole levels was now nearly erased.
This meant that while his spiritual power was still slightly stronger than his soul power, the advantage was nowhere near as great as before.
And with martial spirit fusion skills and super high-aged ring abilities boosting his strength far more, the spiritual secret arts that were once his trump card had now become just regular means—no longer his bottom-line killer move.
It was also precisely because the gap between spiritual power and soul power was no longer obvious that condensing his third soul core had become extremely difficult.
"What about the other soul bone ability? Hundred-thousand-year soul bones should come with two abilities, right?"
At this point, Shui Bing'er asked.
"Uh… that one… well, it's a secret."
Glancing conflictedly at her elder sister, Shui Yue'er hesitated for a moment before deciding not to reveal the second ability of the Cerulean Dolphin skull.
"A secret? Hmph~ Looks like all my care for you has been wasted, girl!"
Shui Bing'er snorted in mild annoyance, flicking her sister's forehead with a finger.
"Ah, sister~ we're dearest sisters for life, how could your care ever be wasted? Yue'er will definitely be filial to you in the future!"
Shui Yue'er's eyes spun mischievously, and after glancing at Mu Yang nearby, she hugged her sister's arm, acting spoiled.
Mu Yang: "..."
Why are you looking at me? I feel like you mean something more.
To attach the final ring to his Iceflame Holy Shadow martial spirit as soon as possible, Mu Yang returned to the academy after this. Heading straight to the roof of his quarters, he began cultivating Solar Body Refinement beneath the rising morning sun.
Although cultivating Solar Body Refinement under the rising sun was less efficient than at midday when the sun stood highest, it still had some effect. Since he had the time anyway, Mu Yang didn't care much about efficiency.
By evening, as the sun set in the west, Mu Yang finished his day's training. After dinner, he sat cross-legged on the balcony and focused on mastering his soul power control.
According to his estimation, once Solar Body Refinement reached the threshold corresponding to the peak of level 99 soul power, he could attach the ninety-nine-thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-ninth-year ninth ring to Iceflame Holy Shadow.
But that didn't mean he could stop strengthening his body afterward.
After all, even with that ninth ring added, he would only have three "graduated" rings in total.
Iceflame Holy Shadow and Icefire Immortal Jade combined required eighteen rings altogether. Three completed rings were only one-sixth of the way. Fifteen rings still remained!
If he failed to condense a third soul core, improving his soul power quality once again, and then use Solar Body Refinement to expand his body's tolerance, Mu Yang believed that even if he had seven nearly-million-year spirit bones, he might still be unable to withstand eighteen ninety-nine-thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-ninth-year rings.
It could be said that when Mu Yang devised the body-forging art Solar Body Refinement, it was precisely to prevent this problem.
Of course, the purpose of condensing a third soul core wasn't only to raise body tolerance through higher soul power quality. Even at an unchanged level, the amplification of strength brought by a soul core was immense.
If he could achieve the tri-core yin-yang balance, it would be enough to erase—or even surpass—the gap between a level 99 Limit Douluo and a demigod.